Kaal Bhairav – Kashi Ke Kotwal

The one who grants permission to enter and leave the city of Kashi.

The one who protects devotees.

The one who punishes sinners.

The one whose blessings can ensure a good life and a peaceful death.

He is Kaal Bhairav!

One of the fiercest forms of Shiva, Kaal Bhairav, holds a special place in Kashi aka Varanasi.

Owing to his status as the guardian deity of Varanasi, Kaal Bhairav is believed to protect the city and its inhabitants. Therefore, it is an age-old tradition to seek his permission before visiting the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

Let’s delve deeper into Kashi’s history to find out how and why Kaal Bhairav Kashi became Kashi’s Kotwal.

Temple History:

It is said that thousands of years ago, at the beginning of time, a disagreement arose between two powerful Hindu deities - Lord Brahma (the creator) and Lord Vishnu (the preserver) - about their supremacy. To resolve the dispute, Lord Shiva appeared as a fiery pillar of light and challenged them to find either the beginning or the end of the pillar. The one to win this challenge would establish his unrivalled supremacy.

Vishnu tried his best to find the end of the light pillar, but he soon realized that it was never-ending, and therefore conceded defeat. Brahma, on the other hand, arrogantly declared that he had found the beginning of the pillar. This being a lie, an enraged Shiva took the form of Kaal Bhairav, one of his fiercest avatars, and severed Brahma’s fifth head. The severed head got stuck in Bhairav's nail, and he was cursed with Brahmahatya (the sin of killing a Brahmin). For years, Kaal Bhairav wandered the earth seeking liberation from the said curse. He was eventually freed from the curse in Kashi, at the confluence of the Matsyodari Tirtha and the Ganges, where Brahma’s skull fell to earth. 

Kaal Bhairav then remained in Kashi as its Kshetrapalaka or guardian, protecting the city and its inhabitants.

Darshan:

As we were shopping, around 10:30 pm, we began discussing the possibility of attending Kal Bhairav’s  Shayan (evening) aarti at 12:30 am. That’s when the shop owner informed us that while Sayan aarti may not be possible, it was certainly possible to attend a general darshan at midnight, before the Sayan aarti begins. He then connected us to a guide who quickly took us through a maze of narrow interconnected gullies, helping us reach the temple queue well within time for the midnight darshan. We then joined the queue of devotees waiting for a glimpse of the deity and entered the main temple at around midnight.[HK1] 

The temple had a large courtyard with a raised platform on which Kaal Bhairav’s idol was placed.

Shri Kaal Bhairav, Kashi

We repeatedly chanted Bhairav’s name along with the other devotees and finally reached a point from which we could see his idol clearly.

Made of black stone, Kaal Bhairav looked fierce yet magnificent with eight arms, each holding a different weapon, a garland of skulls, many flower garlands around his neck, and a dog as his mount.
Devotees thronged the platform, shoving each other to get closer to the powerful deity. Many of them offered fruits, flowers, sweets, and liquor!

After Bhairav’s darshan, we exited from the left side of the platform and reached a place where a few pandits were seated with some idols, pictures, and lamps. When we reached this space, one of the pandits recited a Sanskrit verse and tied a black thread on our wrists, which he said would protect us from evil eyes and other negative forces. He also said that we were now free from all our sins. We paid him a small fee and exited the temple with devotion in our hearts and peace in our minds.

Daily Temple Timings:

- General Darshan

Morning: 5:00 am - 1:30 pm

Evening: 3:00 PM - 10:30 PM

- Mangala Aarti

4:00 am

- Bhog/Aarti

1:00 pm

- Sandhya Aarti

8:00 pm

- Sayan Aarti

12:30 am

A Few Tips to Ensure a Smooth Visit:

- Best time to visit: Early morning and evening visits are recommended to avoid crowds.
- Dress Code: Traditional and formal clothing is recommended.
- Photography: Photography is not prohibited inside the temple. 
- Prasad: Available at the temple.

“Kaal Bhairav has blessed me with his darshan at his eternal abode. The temple, the devotees, and the heavenly atmosphere were all a sight to behold. What more could I ask for?”
~ Hamsa Kallianpur

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